Sport

The worldwide popularity of keeping score and identifying winners in such a changeable area of interest as film has found a distinctive response on fan websites. Every fan or anti-fan can give points to his or her film, and try to put a number on how good or entertaining the movie-going experience was. We here present interesting verbal evaluations from users of a film database that add to and significantly alter the nature of mere scorekeeping. (Source: www.csfd.cz)

“The documentary’s strong moments are (...) obliterated by banalities and repetition, causing the film to move in a kind of sine wave. The archival footage lacked any counterbalance, and there was an excessive amount of it. The film would have benefited from some scissors to give it style and pacing, as was clear from the closing rapid-montage.”

PaRi, The Greatest Wish, directed by Olga Špátová, overall fan rating: 69%

“It’s nice to see that not even Třeštíková is a born professional. Especially the introductory footage is in the style of ‘the camera is rolling, say something’. The greatest strength of this documentary is in the ordinary nature of its story and characters, if we can even call 37 years in the life of a few people ordinary; thanks to them, it affects us all. The eternal conflict of living a respectable life, of working and starting a family versus the desire for something ‘more’ – embodied in real parents and children, recorded and presented for evaluation. Poor Kája [Karel Gott] served as a nice timeline. And the symbolism of the universe as a dream, disillusionment and even reconciliation are well done, and occasionally provide a support for the shaky narrative.”

Naimad, Private Universe, directed by Helena Třeštíková, overall fan rating: 71%

“A perfect monument to Mrs. Čáslavská. Not many other people deserves something similar. And I was not around to experience her successes and grew up at a time when it was ‘better not to talk’ about her. Also, it doesn’t matter that I don’t know crap about gymnastics. It’s simply a portrait of a woman and a fighter. The only scene that struck me a bit out of place was with the stark raving John Bok, and even Václav Havel seemed unnecessary, but otherwise perfect (90%).”

Slarque, Věra 68, directed by Olga Sommerová, 88%